What is Information? (1) Reality as Information - Is there Intrinsic Meaning? Sentient Life & Bits
Is reality indistinguishable from information? Is consciousness a self-aware, self-modifying information field?
Does information have intrinsic meaning? How does meaningfulness arise? How do sentient and non-sentient entities differ in the way they perceive and process information?
...
Optimized for 640 x
360 (16:9 SD).
Full script here:
http://crackingthenutshell.com/what-i...
Introduction:
-
Common association of information with communication and technology
- Could information be something more subtle and fundamental?
- Can we define time, space, consciousness, matter, energy... in terms of information?
-
Science using informational approach: quantum physics, biology, neuroscience...
-
Digital physics and philosophy.
Information as as tool to explain reality.
Metaphysics /
Philosophy
- Summary of what will be discussed in Part 1 (this video) and rest of the video series
- Covering all topics, from mainstream science to fringe science
- Other recommended channels (Minute Physics, Veritasium & Imagining the 10th
Dimension)
Finding a
Good Definition of Information:
- Facts, message, communication & reception of data
- Etymology: to give form to the mind. Giving form and meaning as related to an agent.
Interpretation of information
-
Difference between code symbols and information
-
Gregory Bateson's definition: information is a
difference which makes a difference
- Modification of Bateson's definition to: information is a perceived difference which can make a difference
- At the most basic level, information is the perceived difference between two distinct states plus the potential meaning assigned to this perceived difference
- Information is not a thing, a property or state "out there"
- Information is a process, a connection, a relationship; a potential for knowledge acquisition
- Information as related to perception, experience, qualia...
- Information as a relational concept
- Is information made of matter or energy?
Norbert Wiener
-
Example 1: cell perceiving the distinction between two states (acidity & non-acidity)
- Example 2: perception of black dots against a white background
- Example 3: information contained in the word "
Love"
- Is information subjective? Potential meaningfulness. Interpretation of data
-
Reasons for changes in definition: rejection of objective realism (
Anton Zeilinger, Leggett-Garg &
Bell inequalities), observer-observed dependency, subjectivity in interpretation and difference between information and matter / energy
- Is information physical or non-physical?
Rolf Landauer's statement (lengthy discussion in future video)
Associating the Bit with Bateson's definition:
- How is information quantified?
- Definition of the binary digit or bit
-
Association of the bit with Gregory Bateson's definition
On the use of the word "
Perception",
Sentient Life, Meaning &
Acquisition of
Knowledge:
- Perceive = detect (non sentient entities)
- Conscious perception (sentient entities)
- Example of a golf ball in a gravitational field
- Non-sentient entities can perceive a difference but can't assign meaning
- Important fact about information: sentient entities maximise its potential
- The ability to store, retrieve, process information and assign meaning as key to evolution of life (self-modification, provision of feedback, memory, growth, learning...)
- Life: potential acquisition of knowledge and learning can be maximised
- How do complexity and meaningfulness arise?
- Key ingredients: consciousness and free will
- Are consciousness and free will emergent or fundamental?
- Steven
Kaufman; Unified
Reality Theory. Defining reality from an idealistic
point of view.
- Reality as the experience of binary states in relation to each other. Reality forming relationships with itself
- "
Whatever we experience something to be, it can be that only in relation to and in dependence on some other aspect of existence which is not that."
- Summing up Part 1